Ukraine: President Envisages Referendum on Joining NATO

U.S. General Philip Breedlove, the supreme commander of NATO, was to meet the pro-West Ukrainian authorities in Kiev on Nov. 26 to push forward the country’s joining NATO.

Joining NATO means Kiev would abandon its status as a non-aligned republic. The country, which intends to meet what it calls “Russian aggression,” must change its laws to join NATO. It is, however, far from meeting NATO’s standards, notably in economic terms. President Petro Poroshenko promised on Nov. 24 to organize a national referendum to decide the question. Since Ukraine launched its “antiterrorist operation” in mid-April, the conflict in the eastern Ukraine has cost over 4,300 lives. Despite the annexation of the Crimea, Moscow continues to deny any involvement. Germany has already announced that she opposes Ukraine’s joining NATO or the European Union.